Windows 10 mobile review of the final version. New home screen. Build number comparison
The new system is life from scratch. Everyone needs a reboot from time to time, even giant corporations like Microsoft. Historically, the company from Redmond has suffered defeat after defeat, releasing its mobile devices, which, it turns out, are of no use to anyone. After many attempts, wanderings, and collaboration with Nokia, the company decided to make drastic changes: Windows Phone was abolished, and a new era of Windows 10 Mobile arrived. In fact, the Windows 10 Mobile update is a new system, with a new vision, but at the same time preserving the principles that migrated from iteration to iteration.
Many resources, including Russian ones, carefully monitor the development of Windows 10 Mobile. W3bsit3-dns.com, Mobile-Review and others spoke positively about the system and predicted a positive future for it. However, let’s take a closer look at what awaits the owners of modern gadgets running on the new platform.
Installing and setting up Windows 10 Mobile
In principle, the process of installing and configuring the system does not take much time, and it cannot be called labor-intensive. However, there are a number of things you need to know before installing Windows 10 Mobile.
The system can be installed officially on a number of initially supported gadgets. You can install a test build. You can install a hacked system on unsupported gadgets.
In addition to those gadgets that come with new firmware on board, there is a whole line of Lumia phones that can be updated. The update will not come automatically, as they say, “over the air,” so you will have to use the Upgrade Advisor utility. The utility is supported by all intermediate smartphones from Lumia 430 to Lumia 1520. After the update, no initial setup is required, all data will be transferred automatically. Still, for the phone to work better, it is worth resetting the settings to zero (when installing a major update, some files may be damaged). That's all you need to know about installing Windows 10 Mobile. Developer builds can be obtained by registering on the Microsoft website and then installing the Windows Insider application.
Interface design
Despite the fact that the update is of such a global nature, visually the system has not undergone major changes. After the basic setup of Windows 10 Mobile is completed, the user will see the familiar “tiled” interface. With the new release, the user is given more opportunities to change the appearance of the desktop. First of all, these changes affected the wallpaper. Now the user can set any background that will cover all “tiles” and applications that do not have their own background. It is also possible to change the size and color design of each individual “tile”. The distance between interface elements has been reduced, allowing for even more content to be placed on the desktop. This is useful if you want to receive updated information from a large number of shortcuts. It looks quite bright and unusual, although confusing, at first glance. Otherwise, the interface remains the same, only instead of a black background, the same wallpapers that were applied on the desktop are now used, the details have become thinner (calculated for new high-resolution displays), the settings and other lists that were previously it was impossible to figure it out. The list of programs has changed slightly; now newly installed applications for Windows 10 Mobile are placed at the beginning of the list, in the “Recently added” field. However, it is worth dwelling separately on the programs installed in the new system.
Apps for Windows 10 Mobile
In connection with the update, external changes overtook almost all standard applications, instructions for developing programs were updated, and visual elements were associated with the desktop version of the operating system. Functional changes affected such programs as:
Mail and calendar | Now combined into one application called Outlook. The client became similar to an application for Android and iOS. There is now support for swipes. By sliding your finger over a letter, you can delete it or put a mark (gestures are customizable). There is deeper integration with the smart calendar, allowing you to create events directly from incoming emails. |
Photo gallery | The photo library has been transformed into something more advanced. In addition to smartphone photos and screenshots, the standard image storage now includes photos stored in the OneDrive cloud storage. Information about where and when the photo was taken is now displayed next to pictures. Basic tools for editing pictures have appeared (photos can be cropped). The tile on the desktop still displays the most recently taken photos in random order. |
Microsoft Edge | The built-in browser has not changed much. The updated application has two new features that were borrowed from Safari. The first is Reading List (similar to Pocket, allowing you to save pages to read later). The second is “Reading Mode” (cleaning the page of information garbage in order to focus on the material). |
Messages | The built-in messenger has become smarter. Integration with Skype has appeared (the ability to communicate with contacts from this service has appeared). A “quick response” function via notifications has appeared. It remains possible to use MSN Messenger (if anyone still uses it). |
Xbox | The good old hub with games has been updated. In addition to the fact that all game projects remained in place (your scores, match results and gaming partners), the Xbox SmartGlass console control system was also built into the program (a remote control that allows you to comfortably type messages into the Xbox and so on). |
Manizan applications | Serious changes have also affected the application store. The terrible confusion that confused even the most experienced users is now gone. The store was combed and brought to the same design as the “desktop” version. Problems with the search, alas, were not resolved. |
Another important change affected third-party applications. A tool has appeared that allows you to convert finished products on iOS and Android into programs for Windows 10 Mobile. At the same time, the developers promised seamless integration of new applications, even without interface changes, which in theory should lead to terrible chaos in the store, which can be put up with if the developers actually start transferring their projects to a new platform, but something tells us that it's already too late.
Notification curtain
One of the most important and frequently used elements of the system is the so-called curtain, which contains notifications from various programs and keys for quick access to various smartphone functions. Its design has undergone minimal changes; the same controls remain:
- A key to turn Wi-Fi on and off (also displays the name of the network to which the gadget is currently connected).
- Key to turn Bluetooth on and off (also displays connected media devices).
- Key to lock screen rotation.
- Key to access settings.
Below is a list of notifications, which is now grouped by the applications to which they relate. This makes them easier to sort and delete. One notification is deleted by swiping on it, a group by swiping on the program name. To delete all notifications, there is a “Clear all” button.
Among other things, expanded notifications have appeared that you can interact with without opening the application. For example, if you receive a message on your phone, by pulling the notification, you can open the text input line and reply to it without going to the messenger itself. Naturally, this function is available to developers, and they have the right to use it as they please. Twitter developers, for example, added shortcuts for popular actions such as “retweet” and “like.” You can stop the alarm in the same way.
Continuum
The cornerstone of the new platform from Microsoft. This know-how is the main connecting element between the desktop and mobile versions of Windows. According to engineers from Redmond, the ideal smartphone is a smartphone that is also a computer. Instead of producing various gadgets and dragging information through the clouds, creating all sorts of “ecosystems,” the creators of Windows offer one device that can replace everything at once. The idea is this: a person who has a smartphone with a pre-installed Windows 10 Mobile version with support for Continuum can install it in a specialized docking station, which, in turn, is connected to a monitor and input means. After which the peripherals are activated, the smartphone acts as a system unit, and the end user sees classic Windows on the desktop.
The idea was always on the surface, but no one dared to bring it to life. Microsoft decided to take matters into their own hands and, together with HP, created a device equipped with the latest technology, operating in Continuum mode.
Unfortunately, such a grandiose idea is unlikely to turn out well in the short term, as there are at least two serious problems. The first is that not all smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile support this function; a solid reserve of power is required for it to work (in fact, there is only one candidate for this role and other manufacturers, including Microsoft, are in no hurry to release new solutions). The second is the system that the person behind the monitor and mouse will work with, not exactly Windows 10, but Windows RT. In this case, the user is deprived of Win32 support, and without this the computer is not a computer at all. For real professionals, ARM will never replace “adult” architecture. In the long term, we have before us a real device of the future and a system that will finally emerge from the “desktop” monopoly as a leader in the mobile segment.
Keyboard and one-handed mode
Keyboard - An amazing and powerful tool in Windows 10 Mobile. W3bsit3-dns.com and other resources that monitor the development of the platform have repeatedly posted tweets and screenshots in which the keyboard built into Windows corrects terrible errors and complements words of one letter.
The keyboard in the new system has not changed much. The usual functions remain, such as:
- Word Flow - typing tips based on data from the system’s dictionary database, the user’s individual dictionary and experience;
- Swipe input - the ability to type text and communicate by simply moving your finger across the keyboard.
- Point for moving the cursor (joystick) - a small point has appeared between the letters Z and X, with which you can move the cursor through the text, so as not to resort to using a virtual magnifying glass.
- It is now possible to change the position of the keyboard, as well as its size. On a large display, you can move it to the right corner and slightly reduce it to make it more convenient to operate with one hand (a problem for all fans of “phablets”).
Also, for one-handed control, an analogue of the Reachability function from the iPhone was added. Now, if you hold down the Win button for a long time, you can lower the interface to the level of your finger so that you don’t have to grab the gadget and reach for the top of the display.
Sound and ringtone settings
In principle, the sound in Windows 10 Mobile does not require any special fine-tuning. Everything works the same as in the previous version. The only problem that remains is with assigning ringtones. Users are still wondering how to change the Windows Mobile 10 ringtone. Fortunately, changes in working with desktop Windows (defining a smartphone as a flash drive) allow you to do this without any problems. To do this, you need to connect your smartphone to the PC, open the Phone - Ringtones folder in it and upload the desired audio file there, the main thing is that it does not have DRM protection. After this, you should open “Settings” - “Personalization” - “Sounds” in your phone. There, select the “Ringtone” option, find the newly downloaded audio file and select it as the ringtone. The system also now has a built-in ringtone maker application that can create ringtones directly on your phone.
File manager
Users have been asking Microsoft programmers for quite a long time to equip the system with a full-fledged file manager, such as is available in Android and the related desktop Windows. Initially, developers were reluctant to add such features, since the system was supposed to be in many ways similar to iOS, which lacks such features for reasons of security and simplicity. Windows 10 Mobile should have been just as simple and closed. Microsoft's bug, fortunately for fans, has been fixed in the latest update. A rather primitive, but still file manager, a kind of stripped-down analogue of Explorer, was built into the system. It is possible to create documents, view them without going into applications, move, copy, and so on. There is no synchronization with OneDrive; to work with cloud storage, you will have to download an additional application and import files separately.
Windows Hello
Security comes first, which is why most modern smartphones are equipped with biometric data reading systems (hello iPhone 5s and Touch ID). Microsoft went further and developed a kind of intermediary system between the scanners and the system responsible for process security. Instead of a fingerprint sensor, gadgets running Windows 10 Mobile use a camera that scans the iris of the eyes. A similar solution was used in the recently released and failed Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The recognition system does not work very well. Firstly, the phone must be quite close to the owner’s face; at arm’s length, the smartphone simply does not “recognize” the owner. Secondly, even if the phone is close to your face, it can still make mistakes, often asking for a passcode. The function is, of course, interesting, but it would be better for Microsoft to opt for a fingerprint scanner, which works quickly and reliably.
Instead of a conclusion
It's hard to sum up what's happening with the Redmond-based mobile platform. On the one hand, the Windows 10 Mobile update shows us a certain growth, the system is clearly developing, its creators have ideas and certain thoughts on what Windows will be like in the future. New unique functions appear, beloved old ones are improved, and new manufacturers of Windows smartphones enter the market. Developers have received carte blanche and can sell their programs for Android and iOS in the Windows app store without any difficulty (even without redrawing the program interface).
But something goes wrong. It is too late. The credit of trust has been exhausted. Despite all its efforts, loud statements and announcements, Microsoft cannot attract a sufficient audience. People have become accustomed to advanced systems from Google and Apple and have more than once placed their trust in the Windows manufacturer. But, alas, they were let down every time, and the new platform could not give them as much as modern people require. Windows 10 Mobile is what Windows mobile should have been 3-5 years ago. At the moment, we can only wait for Redmond to figure out how to convince the public that their platform deserves attention, but for now all Windows fans are in limbo, and it is not known what will happen next.
Windows 10 Mobile opens up new opportunities for interaction between mobile devices and personal computers and offers a unified work environment that will help solve everyday problems faster and more efficiently.
Microsoft pays special attention to the operation of Windows 10 on Lumia smartphones, and therefore, we can say with confidence that the final version of the OS for mobile devices will have a user-friendly interface and rich functionality, in many ways not inferior to the version for PCs and laptops.
Starting in February 2015, the new system can be tested on most Lumia phones. We invite you to get acquainted with its features and functionality.
This article will be updated as new interesting information aboutWindows10 for mobile devices.
For convenience, use the navigation:
Overview of the new features of Windows 10 Mobile for smartphones
Universal Applications: New prospects open up when using universal applications that will look the same and have similar functionality on all types of devices. You can already try the following universal programs and services:
- Office applications including Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook
- Alarm
- Cards
- Calendar
- Music hub
- Video hub
For example, you can start making a Word document or Power Point presentation in the office or at home, and then easily complete it while sitting on the subway.
New "Maps": Interesting possibilities open up when using the universal Maps application. Let's say you were looking for a place, such as a new restaurant, in Maps on your computer. The next time you open a similar application on your phone, the search results will be displayed in it, and you can not only find out how to get to the restaurant, but also read reviews of establishments, and even make a reservation.
Additional tile size: Live desktop tiles have received a new size - they can now be stretched across 2/3 of the screen. However, a message recently appeared from Microsoft that the final version may not have this size. It all depends on the opinions of users.
Updated Notification Center allows you to easily manage the main functions of your mobile device, as well as easily access their settings. Its features:
- syncing notifications from PC
- the ability to remove some elements and add new ones
- display active notifications
Clipboard: A small but interesting feature is that the copied text no longer disappears after the screen is locked, but is moved to the clipboard until it is needed.
Review of new applications in Windows 10 Mobile
Office applications Word, Excel and Power Point have a host of new features and capabilities for creating tables, analyzing data, collaborating, touch, visualization and much more. A separate article dedicated to office applications in Windows 10 will soon appear on our website.
Spartan Browser, which replaced Internet Explorer, has not only a new design, but also such useful features and improvements as:
- new engine for correct display of all Internet pages
- “notes mode” in which you can draw and take notes on web pages
- “reading mode”, cutting off unnecessary design elements, and many others
- new icons and themes
- integration with Cortana assistant
Standard calculator significantly expanded its functionality compared to Windows Phone 8.1. With its help, you can convert many physical quantities, calculate complex functions and convert numbers into different number systems. Read more.
Updated voice recorder acquired a couple of excellent functions: the ability to trim records and put marks on its important parts. More details -.
New application Image Viewer allows you to access all your photos from any device. Read on to find out more!
How to install Windows 10 Mobile on a Lumia smartphone?
If you want to install Windows 10 on your phone, then use. We strongly do not recommend that you follow “expert advice” and install Windows 10 Mobile on other models using workarounds - there is a chance of ruining your device.
How to go back to Windows Phone 8.1?
If, due to a large number of errors or buggy functionality, you no longer want to have Win 10 on your smartphone, then you can roll back the system to WP 8.1.
Should I buy a Lumia or wait for Windows 10 smartphones to appear?
Now is a very good time to buy a Microsort or Nokia Lumia smartphone. At least because it is now still possible to find offers at old prices, which promise to only grow every day.
The Lumia line includes a wide range of devices to suit your every need. For example, you can buy a Lumia 735 selfie smartphone or a flagship one. Each of these phones can be upgraded to Windows 10 for free until the end of 2015!
Which Lumia smartphones will receive Windows 10:
Initially, it was reported that Windows 10 would only be available to devices in the mid- and high-end price segments. But, as it recently became known, smartphones with 512 MB of RAM will also be able to receive a new version of the system, which, however, will have limited functionality. The final list of devices has not yet been announced.
Windows 10 Mobile release date
The planned release date for Windows 10 Mobile for mobile devices is set for mid-autumn 2015. It directly depends on how well the testing goes, as well as bug fixes and functionality improvements. Along with Win 10, the first flagships from Microsoft will also be released for mobile devices - Smartphones and .
What is the main idea behind creating Windows 10?
Microsoft really wants users not just to switch to the Windows 10 operating system, but to become its devoted fans. The first step towards achieving this goal has already been taken; it will be completed by the end of 2015.
But the main thing that the developers want to achieve is to give people the opportunity to always have a tool at hand to solve their problems, regardless of where and on what device they are: at home at the computer, with a laptop at work, or on a walk with a Lumia smartphone.
Follow
Lately, I have often heard statements from users that the mobile version of Windows 10 is dead and we need to quickly get rid of it, but is this really so? Let's try to understand this issue more carefully.
Honestly, Windows users are amazing people and at the slightest noise they panic and say that everything is lost.
Let's start with a little history. Windows Mobile first appeared in 2000, which was based on Windows CE, which in turn appeared in 1996, after which there were as many as 6 versions of Windows Mobile, which were supported until 2012. Yes, at the beginning of the 2000s, Windows Mobile was on top, but with the advent of other mobile operating systems that were more responsive to users, the share of Windows Mobile decreased sharply, but nevertheless Microsoft supported it for as long as possible, until the release of Windows 8.
Microsoft understood that Windows Mobile needed a restart and on February 15, 2010, Steve Ballmer officially introduced the new mobile OS Windows Phone. At that time, Microsoft and Nokia entered into a cooperation agreement. Strangely enough, it coincided that the Nokia brand also needed a relaunch, and therefore, for a certain amount of money, Microsoft simply bought the Finnish mobile division. After which fruitful cooperation began. Nokia worked on its smartphones, which were magnificent in design, of course this does not apply to cinder blocks like the 920 Lumiya, but then there was its revolutionary mother wireless charging, which slightly leveled this defect. Carl Zeiss optics were the highlight of smartphones and they took pictures very well indeed, even by today's standards. Microsoft, in turn, dealt with software and exclusive support for Nokia, since in essence it was already their company. And the people who followed the tandem of these two giants were sure, including me, that the results would be simply bomb phones that would outshine all sorts of iPhones and Samsungs, but this did not happen. When Windows Phone 7 came out, they turned out to be somewhat unattractive and not very functional. And in principle, both developers and users, oddly enough, were not particularly upset. And they said that this was their first joint device and that there was more to come. And after the release of the new Windows Phone 8 platform, some work on the bugs was already visible. The smartphones looked pretty nice. The aforementioned flagship Lumiya 920, although it looked like a brick, was still popular. Afterwards, by the way, Microsoft updated the smartphone to version 925. He looked much cooler and thinner. Even I couldn’t resist then and bought a Lumia 820. The 920 was too huge for me, and the 720 was quite weak. Although the Lumia 720 was the most beautiful smartphone at that time. The Lumia 820 had an excellent 8 MP camera with dual LED flash and had a good design, which is what won me over. It seems to me that it was during the existence of Windows Phone 8 that the mobile OS was at the peak of its popularity. Afterwards, Windows Phone 8.1 and the new 3rd and 4th line of Lumia smartphones were released, which were magnificent from the design side. Moderately elegant and not oversized.
Then Microsoft announced the release of Windows 10 and again renamed Windows Phone to Windows Mobile. At the end of 2015, it released smartphones of the 5th line called Lumia 950 and 950 XL - this is a kind of cosplay on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The phones, frankly speaking, were not the best and had a rather buggy OS at that time. Microsoft understood that it could not provide such a system to other older smartphones, so it delayed the release of Windows 10 until March 2016, after which all 3rd and 4th line smartphones, Lumia 1520 and third-party smartphones were able to receive this coveted update. The second line of smartphones did not officially receive Windows 10 Mobile, but still, through Windows Insider, Microsoft allowed you to upgrade to version 10 without problems, but then, of course, banned the release of assemblies for these smartphones, summarizing this by saying that the smartphones were too old, but the Ten it was possible to get money from them.
So this is what I mean by all this. This story was needed to restore some consistency. To be honest, there were even skeptics who, back in the early 2000s, said that Windows Mobile was an unnecessary OS that would soon die, but almost 20 years have passed and the system is still alive. It has had its ups and downs, but there are still people who use it and don't want to give it up. Even Microsoft itself claims that it will not stop releasing builds for smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile. This is already a good sign, it would be another matter if Microsoft were silent at all, but one can hope that for a few more years mobile Windows in the form in which it is now will receive updates. Yes, my God, even Windows RT, which has tens of times fewer users than Windows 10 Mobile, still receives updates, even one owner of this tablet once told me that a menu was added to the RT version Start, as in Windows 10, while, let me remind you, the system was released in 2012, 5 years ago, and after that you will say that Windows 10 Mobile is dead? I currently have a Lumia 830, the phone came out in the fall of 2014, now it’s 2017. About 2.5 years have passed and the smartphone is still receiving updates. Many Android smartphones cannot even afford this. Even if suddenly updates stop coming out for this platform, will the phone immediately turn into a brick? It will still work, except that there may be problems with some applications, but looking at Windows RT, which is less popular, and everyone has already forgotten about it, except Microsoft and some enthusiasts, we can say that Windows 10 Mobile will still be live a very long time.
Personally, I can say that, for example, I broke the Lumia 820 in 2014, when I was riding a bike and fell on the right side, and I had a phone in my pocket on that side and I still haven’t been able to fix it , due to the lack of the required part. The Lumia 830 has already been repaired once, albeit under warranty, but it was still there, so most likely the Lumia smartphones themselves will die faster than the mobile operating system from Microsoft.
Yes, Microsoft is preparing new smartphones that should be closer to the functionality of a full-fledged Windows 10, but in parallel, regular mobile Windows will also live, no one is going to give it up. I've been hearing for about 2 years now that the mobile system is dead. And is she dead now? No, more alive than all the living.
If we talk about problems with Windows 10 Mobile, then there is only one. These are very expensive devices. If Microsoft were to sell these devices at a loss, like the Xbox 360, for example, then the system would gain a much larger base of both users and developers. It is with the valuable that we kill two birds with one stone. Since users, looking at branded smartphones from Microsoft, still chose similar phones on the Android system, since they were cheaper and had better characteristics, and wealthier people took the iPhone because it was an iPhone. Like, if you have an iPhone, then you have succeeded in this life. And smartphones running Windows Phone and Windows Mobile were mainly purchased by enthusiasts and those people who wanted to try something new. Some gradually leave for other systems, while others return because they are accustomed to this OS.
Microsoft has taken a break for now; there were rumors about a full-fledged Windows 10 on smartphones with Intel Atom processors, but Intel curtailed their production, and now Microsoft is relying on Qualcomm, whose new chips support Windows 10 and DirectX 12 at the hardware level. ARM chips will be built into both smartphones and laptops, and thanks to the Andromeda project, the system will adapt to the device, it will even be possible to run x86 applications thanks to an emulator of this architecture.
It's up to you to switch to another mobile system or stay on Windows 10 Mobile. I am in no way defending Microsoft, since it is they who are mostly to blame in the mobile market, but even now I am completely satisfied with this system. There are plenty of applications in the store, the protection is quite good on a smartphone. What else do you need to use? If you still play games on your phone, and the games you need are not available on this OS, then most likely Windows Mobile was not suitable for you in the first place. I repeat once again - the system is not dead and may even be able to surprise you with something.
Windows 10 Mobile is a mobile version of the system from Microsoft, which is much better adapted for mobile devices, especially if they have a touch screen.
Microsoft is famous for its operating systems and office products. However, recently it has also started working on mobile versions of the OS and released Windows 10 Mobile. This is not the company's first experience in this direction. Before this, there was a mobile OS with the Phone prefix. But not so long ago it was abolished and a newer and more advanced version was put into development. We’ll talk about its features and some nuances of use further.
Features of Windows 10 Mobile
The steps to install and configure the system cannot be called complicated, and all this does not require much time. However, there are some features that are worth pointing out. For example, it is officially possible to obtain the system, both directly when purchasing on the website, and as a result of purchasing an officially sold phone or gadget. In this case, the system itself can come as a bonus.There are some mobile phones that allow you to update the system in an official way, regardless of how you received it. At the same time, you can receive individual assemblies that are used by developers. This requires preliminary registration on the official service, and then all that remains is to download the required system.
Since some users received Windows 10 Mobile as a result of the update, they may have seen that many standard applications have changed in some way:
- Calendar;
- Photo gallery;
- Messages;
- Xbox;
- Edge.
New features in the latest version of Windows 10 Mobile
Recently, developers have made it possible to use OneDrive cloud storage to store your own photos. Information about the shooting location and its date is now added to the photographs taken. Most devices that have this system installed have a built-in camera, so this feature was logical and very necessary. We wonder why it was included in the software only after several years of the product's existence.The user can integrate the Messages application with . It is possible to quickly respond to some messages that now appear as notifications. A special system has been developed for notifications, which allows you not to be distracted by any notifications that are not important to you. And you don’t even need to constantly brush them away. The system will remember your interests and try to display only what is really important. Of course, errors are possible, but you can also manage all processes manually, it all depends on your settings.
The changes did not affect the built-in browser much. However, it now has the ability to switch to reading mode so that the user can work directly with the article material and not be distracted by advertising blocks.
To summarize our short review of Windows 10 Mobile, we note that it is not yet a competitor on iOS or Android. Both competitors are head and shoulders above Microsoft's product. However, if we compare this assembly with what was there at least a couple of years ago, then this is heaven and earth and therefore, you can give the system a second chance if you have already used it before and may not have liked it.
For those who have had experience with WM 10, we remind you that you can leave a comment or even a full review about the system; we will be happy to read impressions about the real experience of using this product.
Windows 10 Mobile is a version of the Windows 10 OS designed for mobile devices with a screen diagonal of up to nine inches. Its main feature: synchronization with the desktop version of Windows, launching new “universal” applications, as well as the ability to connect devices to an external display and use the smartphone as a PC with mouse and keyboard support
A little background
The first version of the OS was released in December 2015. Windows 10 Mobile was a "glimmer of hope" for all Windows Phone owners. With the release of a new version of the mobile OS, Microsoft began to shower users with promises that many fell for (including the author of this article).
I am the owner of a Microsoft Lumia 535 with Windows 10 Mobile pre-installed (I have been using the device for 3 years). During my use, I formed a certain opinion about the smartphone and the OS as a whole, so I decided to tell readers about the relevance of this platform these days.
My first impressions of the purchased smartphone are not entirely objective and a little naive:
For comparison and understanding of the issue, you can imagine any device of 2015 on iOS and Android, and this is one generation with Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, Google Nexus 5X and 6P, Samsung Galaxy S6. And most likely, such smartphones are still fully functional (there may only be issues with the battery, but they can be resolved by replacing the battery with a new one). So what happens to a typical 2015 smartphone running Windows 10 Mobile?
Device support
The first disappointment that Windows 10 Mobile brought was that it does not support all devices. The minimum system requirements were as follows: 1 GB of RAM, screen resolution 960x540 pixels or higher, Qualcomm Snapdragon processor: 208, 210, 615, 617, 625, 808, 810, 820 or 835. This meant that budget Lumia with 512 GB of RAM were unable to receive an official update (although some users managed to somehow replace data about the smartphone and install updates).
Windows App Store
The Windows application store is a complete disappointment and the situation has not changed at all from 2015 to the present day: there is a catastrophic shortage of applications and games. The existing ones are not updated by the developers, and no one is making new ones.
The store is filled with all sorts of “slag” that is not moderated in any way. There are paid applications, the purchase of which is pointless. At the top of the store are applications from Microsoft and hits of 2015-2016 for Android.
At the moment, applications show the possibility of updating, but refuse to update (the download takes forever), although this problem may be related specifically to my Microsoft Lumia 535 smartphone.
Beginning of work
Getting started with a smartphone is pure hell. On Android and iOS, the user registers one account, which applies to all devices. Microsoft has decided to “stand out from the crowd” and invites owners of their devices to register two Outlook accounts and one Xbox, and all this in order to be able to download and install any applications and games from the Windows Store. "Why do you need two Outlook accounts?" - you ask. And I will answer: “For the Microsoft family.” One is “parental” and is tied to a PC, the second is “childish” and is intended for a smartphone, a kind of “innovation” in the field of synchronizing a PC with a smartphone and.
OS shell
The interface is nice and minimalistic. Whatever one may say, Microsoft made the right decision here with its tiled design. You can display any installed applications on the main screen, and some of them support the display of additional information. The second screen contains a list of a bunch of applications that are not convenient to use at first, but later you get used to them. There is also an alphabetical search, which is a good solution for this shell, but in my case, after the next firmware update, the Russian font “broke” (see the last screenshot).
Firmware update
Currently, this process freezes at 1% of the load, causing the device to not update. The description of all the updates to Windows 10 Mobile, with which “your device will work even better,” looks especially funny.
Using a smartphone while charging
This is one of the many factors that will make users lose a lot of nerves. The bottom line is that when charging a smartphone, it is impossible to use it. The screen begins to live its own life, one touch turns into three, swiping down opens a bunch of applications (the problem may be related to a certain model or batch of smartphones, but this does not make it any easier for me).
Compatible with other accessories
In times of smart watches, fitness trackers, and additional plug-ins that can be used seamlessly with smartphones on iOS and Android, this problem is more relevant than ever. There are a limited number of smartwatches that support Windows 10 Mobile: , Fitbit Surge, Agent Smart Watch, i’m Watch (all discontinued).
Today, not a single manufacturer of current smart watches supports Windows 10 Mobile OS. On the Internet you can find official fitness trackers from Microsoft: Microsoft Band and Microsoft Band 2, which are also discontinued and are not supported by the company. But they should work with Windows smartphones. As you can see, the choice is small...
VPN
A very useful feature nowadays. Particularly relevant for Ukraine and Russia. There are free applications that allow you to use VPN on Windows 10 Mobile, but they are absolutely ineffective. The only apps that remain are those that offer VPN services for a monthly subscription costing $20 or more.
Browsers and popular applications
The story about all kinds of applications is not over yet. Browsers on WP10 are a sore subject. There are only two that work normally: Microsoft Edge and UC Browser. Unfortunately, they do not have sufficient functionality in modern browsers. Surfing web pages occurs with stutters and freezes. There are really not enough applications from Google: Maps, YouTube, Google Play Music and so on.
It is also worth mentioning popular applications. Messengers, they are present in the Microsoft store and almost everything, but they receive updates from developers extremely rarely and not always on time, or even do not receive them at all.
A sore subject is bank clients, who for the most part do not exist or exist, but are unofficial, from third-party developers. Whether you should trust such decisions with your banking data is a rhetorical question.
In general, the store lacks many official applications from stores, operators, and websites. There is a significant shortage of photo editors and games. As for audio and video players, the standard ones are enough. Readers can be found without problems, although for the most part they will be analogues of Android applications.
P.S. Fortunately, in the middle of last year, the Steam client was released for Windows 10 Mobile, if you know what I mean, fellow pirates.
Pre-installed applications
When initially purchasing a smartphone, the user is greeted with a number of useful programs from Microsoft: Food, Health and Fitness, Maps, camera applications, Weather, Mail, Sports, News, Word, OneDrive and so on. It would seem that at least these applications can be used without problems? But not everything is as rosy as we would like...
We should also talk about the Office software package. They are really well made and convenient, but after a year they require the purchase of a paid subscription. The maps are also well made, but are only relevant for Europe.
Gameloft Hub is the official application of the game developer (I could not ignore this application). It contains 5 games from Gameloft, which are ports with java. And everything is either donated or paid. It is not clear what Microsoft was guided by when creating and integrating this application into new (once) smartphones.
The gameplay screenshots speak for themselves - this is some wild old stuff:
One-handed mode
Functionality that developers have added in later versions of Windows 10 Mobile. Perhaps a useful feature for flagship Lumia with a large screen diagonal. On Microsoft Lumia 535 it is implemented crookedly. The developers made sure that the user could scroll through only half of the screen, but content in this mode is not always displayed correctly.
Eventually
The author does not recommend purchasing smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile. Even if it seems to you that the hardware is quite good, and the price is tempting. Better pay attention to Android devices for a similar price. They may not be as cool at first glance, but at least with them you can use all the popular services without problems and wasted nerves.
In our time, “small-soft” smartphones can only perform the functions of dialers and media players. I’m especially sorry for users who purchased flagships from Microsoft. Yes, they got the opportunity to use a smartphone as a PC using a docking station, but the abandoned proprietary OS will make you regret such an acquisition more than once.
